Downward pressure on prices on the PET recycling market intensified further in Germany in September. Some converters delayed the collection of agreed volumes and sought to renegotiate prices, while others cancelled orders altogether. Several recyclers also reported payment difficulties among film producers. Market sentiment deteriorated noticeably, and no relief is in sight for the final quarter of the year.
Numerous PET recyclers are currently stockpiling flakes that are unlikely to be sold before spring 2026 given the current market conditions. This is due to persistently weak demand combined with competition from low-priced imports of virgin PET and recycled material from non-EU countries.
The combination of sluggish demand and low primary PET prices put recyclers under noticeable pressure in September. They were able to offset some of it by reducing the prices they were paying for post-consumer single-use bottles on the spot market.
